Co-particulated milk proteins and methods of making them

Abstract

The present disclosure includes co-particulated milk protein compositions. The compositions include at least 60 wt. % total protein on a dry weight basis, and a blend of whey proteins and casein protein. Compositions include where at least a portion of the total true protein includes casein-whey protein complexes. Compositions include where the total protein includes milk protein particles, where the milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 50 wt. % of the total true protein. Compositions include where the co-particulated milk protein composition exhibits a co-particulated index of greater than zero to less than or about 0.5%.

1 . A co-particulated milk protein composition comprising:
 at least 60 wt. % total protein on a dry weight basis, based upon the weight of the co-particulated milk protein composition;   greater than about 65 wt. % whey protein based on a weight of total true protein;   from about 5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % casein protein based on the weight of total true protein; and   wherein at least a portion of the total protein comprises casein-whey protein complexes and whey-whey protein complexes, and wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition exhibits a co-particulation index of greater than zero to less than or about 0.3%.   
     
     
         2 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition includes milk protein particles, and wherein milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 50 wt. % of the total true protein, and/or wherein milk protein particles having a particle size of less than 0.5 μm form greater than or about 30 wt. % of the total true protein. 
     
     
         3 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition includes milk protein particles, wherein milk protein particles comprise a D90 particle size distribution value of about 5 μm or less. 
     
     
         4 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition comprises less than or about 10 wt. % fat on a dry weight basis, based upon the weight of the co-particulated milk protein composition. 
     
     
         5 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the whey protein and the casein protein are present in the co-particulated milk protein composition at a ratio of whey protein to micellar casein protein of about 60:40 to about 95:5. 
     
     
         6 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the casein-whey protein complexes comprise one or more covalent disulfide bonds. 
     
     
         7 . A co-particulated milk protein composition comprising:
 at least 60 wt. % total protein on a dry weight basis, based upon the weight of the co-particulated milk protein composition;   greater than about 60 wt. % whey protein based on a weight of total true protein;   from about 5 wt. % to about 40 wt. % casein protein based on the weight of total true protein; and   wherein at least a portion of the total protein comprises casein-whey protein complexes and whey-whey protein complexes, the co-particulated milk protein composition includes milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm and a D50 particle size of about 5 μm or less, and wherein the milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 50 wt. % of the total true protein_.   
     
     
         8 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition includes milk protein particles, wherein milk protein particles having a particle size of less than 0.5 μm form greater than or about 30 wt. % of the total true protein. 
     
     
         9 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 7 , wherein milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 45 wt. % of the total true protein. 
     
     
         10 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 7 , wherein milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 40 wt. % of the total true protein. 
     
     
         11 . The co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the co-particulated milk protein composition comprises greater than or about 7 wt. % alpha-lactalbumin on a dry weight basis, based on the weight of total true protein. 
     
     
         12 . A fortified food and/or beverage product, comprising:
 greater than or about 4 wt. % protein, based upon a weight of the food and/or beverage product;   wherein the fortified food and/or beverage product comprises a co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . The fortified food and/or beverage product of  claim 12 , wherein the fortified food and/or beverage product comprises a spoonable or drinkable yoghurt. 
     
     
         14 . A fortified food and/or beverage product, comprising:
 greater than or about 4 wt. % protein, based upon a weight of the food and/or beverage product;   wherein the fortified food and/or beverage product comprises a co-particulated milk protein composition according to  claim 2 .   
     
     
         15 . The fortified food and/or beverage product of  claim 14 , wherein the fortified food and/or beverage product comprises a spoonable or drinkable yoghurt. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a co-particulated milk protein composition, the method comprising:
 forming a mixture of a whey protein composition and a casein source at a ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5;   denaturing the mixture at a temperature of greater than or about 70° C. and a pH of about 6 to 6.8, forming co-particulated milk protein particles;   reducing a particle size of the co-particulated milk protein particles in the mixture, thereby forming the co-particulated milk protein composition, and   wherein at least a portion of total protein comprises casein-whey protein complexes and whey-whey protein complexes, the co-particulated milk protein composition comprises at least 60 wt. % total protein on a dry weight basis, based upon the weight of the co-particulated milk protein composition, the co-particulated milk protein particles include milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm, and wherein the milk protein particles having a particle size of 1 to 10 μm form less than 50 wt. % of total true protein.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the casein source comprises micellar casein concentrate, micellar casein isolate, ultrafiltered milk protein, microfiltered milk protein, milk protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, a caseinate, a caseinate salt, rennet casein, non-animal casein, acid casein, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the whey protein composition comprises whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, native whey protein concentrate, native whey protein isolate, acid whey protein, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein denaturing comprises forming one or more covalent disulfide bonds between a casein and a whey protein. 
     
     
         20 . A fortified food and/or beverage product formed according to the method of  claim 16 .